Lots of stuff in my wort

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BlueSunshine

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I feel very noobish asking this, but here goes:

Yesterday I brewed my first partial mash (it was a stout) and I may have crushed the grains too fine. There was ALOT of particles in my wort, to the point where I'd be getting some stuff on my thermometer when I took a temperature reading. You could see some stuff on the side of my carboy too.

Is this bad? Will racking to a secondary clear things up, or will gravity take care of everything?
 
That stuff will settle out. When you rack after fermentation is complete all that stuff will be left behind in the trub. No biggy.
 
Primary fermentation, especially of high gravity beers, is very "dirty". Pieces of hops flowers will float to the top and make a ring that is somewhat difficult to remove. Parts of hulls and grain will settle to the bottom with the dead yeast. Dead yeast takes some encouragement to get off the bottom of a fermenter as well.

None of it is particularly difficult to clean (especially if you clean everything after you use it). But it can not generally be gotten rid of by rinsing alone. It is for this reason it it suggested you do your primary fermenting in something that is easily accessible inside and out (like a bucket). But really you can ferment in anything that will hold the liquid that you can keep air tight.
 
well i agree that gravity will make the particles settle out during fermentation. just to be safe i would put a hop bag or two on each end of your racking cane when you go to bottle.

But really you can ferment in anything that will hold the liquid that you can keep air tight.

that is SOOOO not true. if you brew in a non-food grade bucket you will taste it in the end.
 
that is SOOOO not true. if you brew in a non-food grade bucket you will taste it in the end.

Pretty sure Home Depot buckets aren't technically food grade and guys ferment their beer in those all the time with no ill effect.
 
if you brew in a non-food grade bucket you will taste it in the end.

I agree. Ideally you need something that doesn't scratch easily because scratches can provide refuge for infection causing bacteria. Also, it's important that you use something that doesn't allow oxygen to permeate into the fermenter. I personally prefer glass carboys.
 
Thanks for the responses folks.

I have an auto siphon so it should help rid me to some junk that hasn't fell to the bottom of the fermenter. Do you think I should rack to a secondary still? I'm kinda paranoid about infections.
 
Do you think I should rack to a secondary still? I'm kinda paranoid about infections.

I personally like to rack most of my brews to secondary. Time to clear and bulk age can be very beneficial. If you clean and sanitize your equipment properly the chances of infection are very slim.
 
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